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Register a new userThe magnetic field in the dense photodissociation region of DR 21
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Measuring interstellar magnetic fields is extremely important for understanding their role in different evolutionary stages of interstellar clouds and of star formation. However, detecting the weak field is observationally challenging. We present measurements of the Zeeman effect in the 1665 and 1667~MHz (18~cm) lines of the hydroxyl radical (OH) lines toward the dense photodissociation region (PDR) associated with the compact H{sc ii} region DR~21~(Main). From the OH 18~cm absorption, observed with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, we find that the line of sight magnetic field in this region is $sim 0.13$~mG. The same transitions in maser emission toward the neighboring DR~21(OH) and W~75S-FR1 regions also exhibit the Zeeman splitting. Along with the OH data, we use [C{sc ii}] 158 $mu$m line and hydrogen radio recombination line data to constrain the physical conditions and the kinematics of the region. We find the OH column density to be $sim 3.6times10^{16}(T_{rm ex}/25~{rm K})~{rm cm}^{-2}$, and that the 1665 and 1667 MHz absorption lines are originating from the gas where OH and C$^+$ are co-existing in the PDR. Under reasonable assumptions, we find the measured magnetic field strength for the PDR to be lower than the value expected from the commonly discussed density--magnetic field relation while the field strength values estimated from the maser emission are roughly consistent with the same. Finally, we compare the magnetic field energy density with the overall energetics of DR~21s PDR and find that, in its current evolutionary stage, the magnetic field is not dynamically important.
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We present high-angular-resolution observations of the massive star forming core DR21(OH) at 880 mum using the Submillimeter Array (SMA). The dense core exhibits an overall velocity gradient in a Keplerian-like pattern, which breaks at the center of the core where SMA 6 and SMA 7 are located. The dust polarization shows a complex magnetic field, compatible with a toroidal configuration. This is in contrast with the large, parsec-scale filament that surrounds the core, where there is a smooth magnetic field. The total magnetic field strengths in the filament and in the core are 0.9 and 2.1 mG, respectively. We found evidence of magnetic field diffusion at the core scales, far beyond the expected value for ambipolar diffusion. It is possible that the diffusion arises from fast magnetic reconnection in the presence of turbulence. The dynamics of the DR 21(OH) core appear to be controlled energetically in equal parts by the magnetic field, magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence and the angular momentum. The effect of the angular momentum (this is a fast rotating core) is probably causing the observed toroidal field configuration. Yet, gravitation overwhelms all the forces, making this a clear supercritical core with a mass-to-flux ratio of ~6 times the critical value. However, simulations show that this is not enough for the high level of fragmentation observed at 1000 AU scales. Thus, rotation and outflow feedback is probably the main cause of the observed fragmentation.
We have studied the young low-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stellar population associated with the massive star-forming region DR 21 by using archival X-ray Chandra observations and by complementing them with existing optical and IR surveys. The Chandra observations have revealed for the first time a new highly extincted population of PMS low-mass stars previously missed in observations at other wavelengths. The X-ray population exhibits three main stellar density peaks, coincident with the massive star-forming regions, being the DR 21 core the main peak. The cross-correlated X-ray/IR sample exhibits a radial Spokes-like stellar filamentary structure that extends from the DR 21 core towards the northeast. The near IR data reveal a centrally peaked structure for the extinction, which exhibits its maximum in the DR 21 core and gradually decreases with the distance to the N-S cloud axis and to the cluster center. We find evidence of a global mass segregation in the full low-mass stellar cluster, and of an stellar age segregation, with the youngest stars still embedded in the N-S cloud, and more evolved stars more spatially distributed. The results are consistent with the scenario where an elongated overall potential well created by the full low-mass stellar cluster funnels gas through filaments feeding stellar formation. Besides the full gravitational well, smaller-scale local potential wells created by dense stellar sub-clusters of low-mass stars are privileged in the competition for the gas of the common reservoir, allowing the formation of massive stars. We also discuss the possibility that a stellar collision in the very dense stellar cluster revealed by Chandra in the DR 21 core is the origin of the large-scale and highly-energetic outflow arising from this region.
The edges of ionized (HII) regions are important sites for the formation of (high-mass) stars. Indeed, at least 30% of the galactic high mass star formation is observed there. The radiative and compressive impact of the HII region could induce the star formation at the border following different mechanisms such as the Collect & Collapse (C&C) or the Radiation Driven Implosion (RDI) models and change their properties. We study the properties of two zones located in the Photo Dissociation Region (PDR) of the Galactic HII region RCW120 and discussed them as a function of the physical conditions and young star contents found in both clumps. Using the APEX telescope, we mapped two regions of size 1.5$times$1.5 toward the most massive clump of RCW120 hosting young massive sources and toward a clump showing a protrusion inside the HII region and hosting more evolved low-mass sources. The $^{12}$CO($J=3-2$), $^{13}$CO($J=3-2$) and C$^{18}$O($J=3-2$) lines are used to derive the properties and dynamics of these clumps. We discuss their relation with the hosted star-formation. The increase of velocity dispersion and $T_{ex}$ are found toward the center of the maps, where star-formation is observed with Herschel. Furthermore, both regions show supersonic Mach number. No strong evidences have been found concerning the impact of far ultraviolet (FUV) radiation on C$^{18}$O photodissociation. The fragmentation time needed for the C&C to be at work is equivalent to the dynamical age of RCW120 and the properties of region B are in agreement with bright-rimmed clouds. It strengthens the fact that, together with evidences of compression, C&C might be at work at the edges of RCW120. Additionally, the clump located at the eastern part of the PDR is a good candidate of pre-existing clump where star-formation may be induced by the RDI mechanism.
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the nearest grand-design spiral galaxy. Thus far most studies in the radio regime concentrated on the 10 kpc ring. The central region of M31 has significantly different properties than the outer parts: The star formation rate is low, and inclination and position angle are largely different from the outer disk. The existing model of the magnetic field in the radial range 6<=r<=14 kpc is extended to the innermost part r<=0.5 kpc to ultimately achieve a picture of the entire magnetic field in M31. We combined observations taken with the VLA at 3.6 cm and 6.2 cm with data from the Effelsberg 100-m telescope to fill the missing spacings of the synthesis data. The resulting polarization maps were averaged in sectors to analyse the azimuthal behaviour of the polarized intensity (PI), rotation measure (RM), and apparent pitch angle (phi_obs). We developed a simplified 3-D model for the magnetic field in the central region to explain the azimuthal behaviour of the three observables. Our 3-D model of a quadrupolar or dipolar dynamo field can explain the observed patterns in PI, RM, and phi_obs, while a 2-D configuration is not sufficient to explain the azimuthal behaviour. In addition and independent of our model, the RM pattern shows that the spiral magnetic field in the inner 0.5 kpc points outward, which is opposite to that in the outer disk, and has a pitch angle of about 33 degrees, which is much larger than that of 8-19 degrees in the outer disk. The physical conditions in the central region differ significantly from those in the 10 kpc ring. In addition, the orientation of this region with respect to the outer disk is completely different. The opposite magnetic field directions suggest that the central region is decoupled from the outer disk, and we propose that an independent dynamo is active in the central region.
We used the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to observe the thermal polarized dust emission from the protostellar source NGC 2024 FIR 5. The polarized emission outlines a partial hourglass morphology for the plane-of-sky component of the core magnetic field. Our data are consistent with previous BIMA maps, and the overall magnetic field geometries obtained with both instruments are similar. We resolve the main core into two components, FIR 5A and FIR 5B. A possible explanation for the asymmetrical field lies in depolarization effects due to the lack of internal heating from FIR 5B source, which may be in a prestellar evolutionary state. The field strength was estimated to be 2.2 mG, in agreement with previous BIMA data. We discuss the influence of a nearby H{sc ii} region over the field lines at scales of $sim 0.01$ pc. Although the hot component is probably compressing the molecular gas where the dust core is embedded, it is unlikely that the radiation pressure exceeds the magnetic tension. Finally, a complex outflow morphology is observed in CO (3 $rightarrow$ 2) maps. Unlike previous maps, several features associated with dust condensations other than FIR 5 are detected.
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